Tour before Sandhurst?

LE

Firstly, I apologise in advance of expected incoming verbal mortars. I have posted in the advice thread stickie to no avail nor has searching the forums thrown up any specifc answers. If anyone knows where this has been answered before then please point me in the right direction and delete this thread.

I'm currently a private in a TA inf. battalion whilst at university. I'm hoping to go regular officer after I finish (summer 2009) but elements of my capbadge will be going out to Afghan in 2010.

My question is this, career-wise, how much sense is there in going out in 2010 as a tom to then go to Sandhurst?

Whilst it would be a great experience, I know of people for whom it has backfired and at Sandhurst have been told that they're too old, not acting/thinking like an officer and so forth. If I were to go on tour I'd be 26 before I got to battalion, but I would have operational experience with a unit I feel great loyalty to (and one which is very competitive to comission into)

Ultimately I know it is my decision and I need to do what will make me happy, not what other's think however I would appreciate your advice as to what would/wouldn't benefit a career.

Old-Salt

Fraudstar, as you say it is about what will make you happy. However, if you intend to have a career as an officer, get to Sandhurst ASAP and get it done. You will have ample opportunities for tours in the future.

The longer you wait, the older you are (obvious I know) but this will affect your career and employment opportunities.

Old-Salt

Fraudstar, as you say it is about what will make you happy. However, if you intend to have a career as an officer, get to Sandhurst ASAP and get it done. You will have ample opportunities for tours in the future.

The longer you wait, the older you are (obvious I know) but this will affect your career and employment opportunities.

Old-Salt

Thanks Ash shows what an old duffer I am, not being aware of the new terms of service.
Having said that Fraudstar, I had done national service in the SA army and 2 years in the ranks (including an NI tour) before Sandhurst and still had to gain the trust of my Jocks before they'd blindly follow me.

So a tour may help you do better in the basic soldiering skills but as an officer you are the new boy all over again, regardless.

LE

Skintboymike, it's not a case of wanting to turn up anywhere to gob off about "life on ops" or something like that (I would after all be hoping to comission into who I went away with). Rather I'd be hoping to turn up and have some grasp of what it is I'd supposed to be doing (aside from following plt. sgt's advice). Although whether a tour would help me suddenly attain a grasp on reality and purge mongness remains to be seen

Swinger

Fraudstar, im in the same position and a year older then you. In my opinion while a tour would be good fun and useful re your mil skills everybody i have spoken to suggests getting to RMAS should be a priority.

Also consider that having come back from a high tempo operational tour where the mission is the priority you might find it a bit jarring to rock up to RMAS and find yourself getting screamed at for not having rolled your socks up the correct way.

LE

Skintboymike, it's not a case of wanting to turn up anywhere to gob off about "life on ops" or something like that (I would after all be hoping to comission into who I went away with). Rather I'd be hoping to turn up and have some grasp of what it is I'd supposed to be doing (aside from following plt. sgt's advice). Although whether a tour would help me suddenly attain a grasp on reality and purge mongness remains to be seen

Depending who you are with that may be an issue, albeit less so in these days of large Regts rather than single Bn Regts. If you serve with a unit as a Pte soldier, they are often keen to avoid you returning as a commissioned officer for the first few years at least.

If you are currently in the SCOTS (TA) for instance, and deployed with 1 SCOTS, you may find yourself being directed towards a commission in one of the other Bns. Not a huge issue unless you have a particular desire to serve in that Bn for family reasons.

Straight to RMAS for you would be my advice - if a tour fitted in nicely before RMAS then all to the good, but do not delay applying just to do one first.

Clanker

I'm also in the same position (albeit a few years behind). I would like to do a tour with my TA unit before I commisioned, but in the end it's probably more sensible to commision first. Especially if it's not looked on favourably at RMAS.

LE

I'm also in the same position (albeit a few years behind). I would like to do a tour with my TA unit before I commisioned, but in the end it's probably more sensible to commision first. Especially if it's not looked on favourably at RMAS.

LE

As I understand it those I know were picked up for the behaviour they'd acquired whilst spending six months as a regular private. Doing an FTRS would no doubt have similar consequences. As was being treated like a child, as V0jink said.

LE

LE

A friend of mine did a TELIC with the RNR prior to going to BRNC Dartmouth as a much older candidate than the average entrant (long story). He found BRNC very hard going as having been somewhere slightly hostile in the COB, and having experienced the pressures of life on an Op Tour, he found being told by someone a lot younger than him that he was a fool for having socks 1cm out of line.

He's still in, but far more hacked off than he would have been had he done it the other way round.

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Old-Salt

Do Sandhurst and get through it as a grey man. There are plenty of opportunities to get medals post-Camberley.

If you turn up with a medal and an attitude (even if its only a perceived attitude), its a bit like being the nail that sticks out of the wood, the DS will ensure you're properly banged-in or extract you entirely. Either is likely to hurt.

The SNCOs at Sandhurst (by which I mean the platoon CSgts) are, by and large, a very sharp bunch and will pick out "odd uns" very fast. That can be to encourage a Sword chaser or to get rid of a perceived know-it-all.